Introduction to Sydney Dolan
Sydney Dolan is a doctoral student in the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) with a passion for being a good steward, both in space and on Earth. As a student, Dolan is developing a model that aims to mitigate satellite collisions, ensuring that space remains a public good for everyone. They believe that it’s essential to maintain people’s access to space and be thoughtful about its use for various applications.
Launching into New Territories
Dolan’s interest in aerospace began in high school, where they attended a model rocket club meeting with a friend. This experience sparked their interest in aerospace engineering, and they decided to pursue the field in college. They attended Purdue University, which is known for its strong aerospace program and for producing astronauts. Although Dolan appreciated the education they received at Purdue, they were motivated to launch Purdue Women in Aerospace due to the lack of women in the department.
Creating a Supportive Community
Dolan’s experience at Purdue led them to create a supportive community for women in aerospace. They organized the inaugural Amelia Earhart Summit, which brought together students, alumni, and industry professionals to celebrate women’s contributions to the field. Dolan also interned at Nanoracks, where they developed a small cubesat payload that went on the International Space Station. Through this internship, they met an MIT AeroAstro PhD alumna, Natalya Bailey, who provided valuable advice on graduate school applications and recommended MIT as a top choice.
Being a Good Space Actor
Dolan’s research focuses on developing a model that enables satellites to independently make decisions on maneuvers to avoid collisions. This model uses reinforcement learning, game theory, and optimal control to abstract a graph representation of the space environment. Dolan believes that this model can provide decentralized oversight and inform policy, promoting responsible behavior in space. They see space as a protected resource, similar to national parks, and want to ensure that it’s used responsibly.
Managing Space Traffic
The number of satellites in orbit has grown significantly over the years, increasing the risk of collisions and debris. Dolan’s model aims to address these issues by providing a mathematical tool that can validate the effectiveness of decentralized oversight. They believe that this approach can help prevent catastrophic damage and ensure that space remains a safe and accessible resource for everyone.
Finding a Natural Fit
Dolan has been deeply involved in the MIT AeroAstro community since arriving in 2019. They have served as a peer mediator, mentored other women students, and co-chaired the Graduate Women in Aerospace Engineering group. Dolan has also created and offered workshops, coaching, and other resources to help students with science communications. They believe that everyone should have the same resources to succeed in graduate school and want to help create a supportive community.
Ultrarunning and Stress Relief
In their spare time, Dolan enjoys ultrarunning, which involves running distances greater than a marathon. They have completed 50-kilometer and 50-mile races and recently ran 120 miles in a backyard ultramarathon. Dolan finds that ultrarunning helps them manage stress and has noticed that many PhD students share this interest. They believe that the discipline and hard work required for ultrarunning are similar to those needed for completing a PhD.
Conclusion
Sydney Dolan is a passionate and dedicated student who is making a positive impact in the field of aerospace engineering. Their research on satellite collisions and decentralized oversight has the potential to promote responsible behavior in space and ensure that it remains a safe and accessible resource for everyone. Dolan’s commitment to creating a supportive community and promoting diversity and inclusion in the field is inspiring, and their unique approach to managing stress through ultrarunning is a testament to their creativity and dedication. As they prepare to complete their degree program and pursue a faculty position, Dolan is sure to continue making a positive impact in the field of aerospace engineering.
